Figma vs Looka
Pricing
Figma: Free for individuals, Pro from $15/mo
Looka: Free to design, from $20 one-time for basic logo
Description
Figma: The industry-standard interface design tool: runs in the browser, no install needed
Looka: AI-powered logo maker and brand kit generator: pick styles, get dozens of logos in seconds
Pros
- Free tier is fully functional for individual use, not a crippled trial
- Massive plugin ecosystem for everything from icons to wireframing
- Runs in the browser, so it works on any machine
- Generates 100+ logo variations in under a minute based on your preferences
- Brand kit includes business cards, social media templates, and brand guidelines
- One-time purchase model: no subscription for the basic logo package
Cons
- Performance suffers with large files (100+ frames)
- Real learning curve if you have never used a design tool before
- Dev Mode (for developer handoff) now requires a paid seat
- Logos can look generic since the AI remixes a finite set of icons and layouts
- Premium Brand Kit subscription is $96/year, which adds up for what you get
- No way to fine-tune logo details beyond swapping colors, fonts, and icon placement
Details
Figma is where most of the internet gets designed these days. It runs in the browser, which means no installing heavy software. Just open a tab and start designing. The free tier gives you 3 projects with unlimited files, which is enough for most solo founders.
Even if you are not a designer, Figma is worth learning because the community files are incredible. Need a landing page design? There are hundreds of free templates. Need icons? Plugins handle it. The learning curve is real if you have never used design tools, but a weekend of tutorials gets you to a productive level for basic UI work.
Looka gets you from “I need a logo” to “here are 100 options” in about two minutes. You pick some styles you like, choose icons related to your business, select colors, and the AI generates a wall of logo options. Some look surprisingly professional. Others look like clip art. The quality depends on how picky you are about filtering.
The basic logo package at $20 gives you high-res PNG files. The $96/year Brand Kit adds SVG files, business card designs, social media templates, and a simple brand guidelines document. For a solo founder launching a side project who needs a logo this week, Looka beats spending $500+ on a freelance designer. For a serious brand you plan to grow, the AI output is a starting point at best. You will probably want a real designer eventually.
Verified
